It only takes one look at the UNC subreddit to find students mentally struggling through the semester. I’ve seen several posts lately from members who feel like they are wasting their time or gaining nothing from the “Zoom University” experience.
And this struggle isn’t limited to UNC students. When talking with friends from my home university, Sciences Po Paris in France, one of them commented on how there are many more useful things that we could be learning instead of wasting away in online classes.
I think that sentiment is more than correct. Though vaccine distribution makes the end of this whole nightmare feel close, we will still be finishing the semester online.
We could be using this time to learn about things that will actually be useful to us in the future. Instead, we’re stuck with modified filler courses just so we don’t lose the semester. Or worse, actually having to struggle through major requirements online.
What could we be learning and doing that would help us better prepare for the future? Here are a few ideas for things that might actually be useful for us to learn, considering graduation is coming up:
Taxes
One of the suggestions I've heard from fellow students is learning how to file taxes. As the adult world looms over us, especially for those who are graduating, it’s easy to see there's a lot we weren’t taught.
Managing finances and taxes is something not everyone has the opportunity to learn, and the curriculum surrounding these topics is usually found in obscure electives. No one gives us a handbook about these things when we graduate, but it’s worth it to have the option to learn about these topics readily available.
